To Be a Sibylla
by DigiExpert
Summary: The story of how Aaeru ended up becoming a Sibylla who lacked the faith, but excelled in flight. The onset of a war always changes things, doesn't it?


**This one only got finished today because school was suddenly cancelled because of water problems. I didn't have to report and so decided to finish this story before doing anything else. I'm really glad I decided to, because I think it turned out really well in the end, even though it's gone through a few changes. There are some author notes at the end because I felt they were necessary to this story and needed to explain a few things. **

It had been her grandfather's wish. That was the only reason she was doing this. She wanted to fly higher than anyone, perhaps even find the world he spoke of. The only way to do that was to be a Sibylla. She had to remind herself of what she wanted time and time again. The combination of those things would keep her going. It was the only way she could get through the mundane days.

"Aaeru, pay attention!"

It was a sentence she often heard time and time again. Some of the classes she found particularly boring. She didn't think they served any purpose for flying a Simoun. Her least favorite class dealt with Tempus Spatium and its purpose. She would watch as the other girls listened with rapt attention. She couldn't understand their fascination with religion or faith.

Instead of paying close attention, she would stare blankly at her book or out the window. She would imagine herself high in the clouds. She wanted to be able to fly with the birds, but she hadn't been able to touch the Simouns or even the Similes yet. Her fingers itched to grip the controls, to feel the machine rumble beneath her fingers. The only time she had been able to be close to a Simile was when her grandfather had let her sit in the cockpit of his. He refused to let her fly it without the proper training.

Her grandfather had passed away just over a year ago. It was a time Aaeru preferred to forgot, not dwelling on the grieving more than she needed to. She refused at first to believe he was gone. Before she had left for the temple, she had safely stored his Simile in the barn, locking it tightly. It had been one of his gifts to her. That, and the music box she now kept on her person at all times. Every time the tune wafted on the breeze, her chest tightened, and she couldn't explain why.

She could feel the music box against her chest even now. The sky was a brilliant blue, yet she was stuck in class once more. Her pencil rested on her desk as her head rested on her arm. Everything seemed to drag on, and the lecture went in one ear and out the other. Had she paid more attention, she might have realized that Ri Majon were more important than meets the eye. She might also have learned about the Emerald Ri Majon and its very small history.

Weeks passed and the first hints of a war were beginning to be spoken amongst the cadets. Aaeru took this as her chance to be able to fly. More than ever, she could feel the controls just in her reach. It was the one thing she knew would go well for her; her test scores were barely passable according to the rigorous standards of the temple. It never bothered her. She knew if she was just given a chance, she could prove herself.

As the first enemy airships began to cross over into Simulacrum, Aaeru finally got her chance. Fear began to overtake many of the girls, both Sibyllae and cadets alike. Rumor after rumor circulated, and many girls went to the Spring. Some of the cadets returned home, fearing the war would destroy what they had worked to earn and that they'd lose their lives. Enough Sibyllae remained to pilot the Simouns, and any Sibylla who was of age to go to the Spring was given permission to hold off until the war was finished, as their duties to Tempus Spatium were considered to be of the utmost importance. It wasn't expected that the war would last for very long. However, due to the large amounts of girls suddenly going to the Spring, the temple began training the remaining cadets the ins and outs of praying to the sky, bringing out the lesser used Simile. They would be prepared, for Tempus Spatium could suddenly bless any of them with the duty of becoming Sibyllae.

The decree by the High Priestess gave Aaeru her other reason for becoming a Sibylla. As long as the war continued and she was a Sibylla, she would not have to make the journey to the Spring that would decide the course of the rest of her life. She felt unready, and under the surface, did not realize the fear she felt at taking that momentous step toward becoming an adult, toward the future. She was only sixteen, but she still would take any chance passed to her; she was already older than many of the cadets because not all of her test scores had allowed her to make the transition to Sibylla just yet. At sixteen, the future decision at the Spring seemed far away, and she was determined to make the present last as long as possible.

The very first day that Aaeru climbed into the cockpit, she instantly felt at home. Hours spent playing in her grandfather's Simile as a child paid off, as had paying attention in class. Names and locations of controls came back to her and she gripped the handles, pressing another button to activate the Simile. It roared to life, and she felt the reverberations in her seat.

As soon as she received the signal, she took off, Simile rocketing into the sky. She couldn't explain the feeling in her gut or take her eyes of the bright blue of the sky. Finally, she had found the place where she belonged and where she knew she needed to be. She began directing the controls, moving about the airspace. Her eyes ignored the other girls flying and those who were attempting to fly. All she could focus on was exploring, always itching to go higher.

Her fingers pulled back, and she felt herself climbing higher than any of the other cadets. With a joyous laugh, she took off again, flying as high as she could think to go. She wondered if this was what it would be like to fly a Simoun. She'd have a pair then, and together they could take to the sky, and fly higher than anyone. She imagined finding the pair, the girl who would follow her into the sky and together they'd fly highest of anyone.

All too soon, her fun came to an end. The signal was given to land, and she reluctantly followed, the very last Simile to land. She was reprimanded by the Dux for going higher than cadets were allowed, but she didn't care. Couldn't they see that she was meant to be in the sky? It called out to her, wanted her to be back in the Simile. She took the reprimand, half listening, half daydreaming. Something as small as a reprimand was not enough to ruin her mood after what she'd just done. She found that she felt lighter than before.

Over the next few months, the cadets continued to train in the Similes, and there were whispers of some cadets becoming Sibyllae and transferring into a Chor. Aaeru ignored the chatter and rumors. To be a Sibylla meant she would have to pray more, or at least, pretend to pray more. It frustrated her that she had to go through the motions of everything else in order to do what she loved. Her marks were always lowest when it dealt with faith. On the other hand, she received high marks on maneuvering the Simile, as well as in anything that pertained directly to the function of flight of the transport. She soaked up what information she could whenever it was available. Anything that would allow her to fly higher.

The day finally came when Aaeru was given the chance to prove herself once and for all. It had started off as a normal training session in the Simile and Aaeru had looked forward to it all morning, not paying an ounce of attention to any of her lessons. All she could think about was climbing into the cockpit once more. Her hands itched to grip the controls, mimicking the movements that had begun to feel so very familiar to her.

Once she climbed into the cockpit, she instantly started the Simile, not waiting for the signal. Within seconds, she had taken off, much to the chagrin of those watching from below. The other cadets were still waiting for the signal. The sky was her escape from everyday life. Many times she had wondered if this was how her grandfather felt when he flew his own Simile. Aaeru completed a few loops around the temple, and that was when she realized she was the only one in the sky. A quick maneuver let her see that the others were still on the ground. She was confused; the signal should have been given by now for them to take off. That was when she noticed the ships in the distance. They were not from Simulacrum. Enemy ships. The war had finally come to the south. Aaeru grinned. She would take care of them.

Just as she was about to head forward, she heard something cling against the side of the Simile. Before she could wonder what it was, a voice began speaking to her.

"Return to the ground, cadet," came the stern command.

"Why? I can do just as well as you can," retorted Aaeru.

"Cadet, return to the ground. You are not a Sibylla yet, and the Simile does not have the blessing of Tempus Spatium."

"I don't care what Tempus Spatium blesses. I'm going to fight!" declared Aaeru as she jerked the Simile to the side, forcing the speaker cable to disengage from the side.

She pulled the Simile upward, flying out of reach of the two Simouns that had taken off. She knew they would not deal with her, as they would be risking their own lives in the process, as well as those in the temple below. Now, to take care of the enemy. They did not fly as gracefully as the Simouns or Simile, so she would outmaneuver them, and force them to either retreat or attack. Her finger rested nervously overtop the trigger for the Simile's ammo. In her mind, there was no doubt that she could do exactly what the other Sibyllae did. There was no need for Tempus Spatium, and she'd prove that.

Aaeru opened fire on the first ship that came close enough, swaying to the side to avoid the oncoming barrage of bullets that flew her way. Up and above and then a quick turn behind. The other ship, being much slower to turn, burst into a brilliant orange fireball of flame, heading for the forest below.

"Ah got you!" she shouted happily. To her left, she heard more gunfire, and turned to find two more ships on her tail. She let them chase her, grinning as she dodged the trails of gunfire with ease. "You're such slowpokes!"

Down… she felt like going down. Under the belly of the ships, she flipped the Simile upward, strafing the undersides as she flew backwards. She came up behind them, giving them a final round of gunfire before they crashed into each other and went down. "Yes!" she exclaimed excited as the adrenaline rushed through her veins. She'd never felt so…so… _alive._

Her eyes searched the horizon for any more ships, and she was disappointed when she saw no more and the other Simouns landing. She went down with them, settling the Simile before hopping out excitedly. She found had an audience of cadets. The Regina of the temple came over to her, anger readable on her face. She raised a hand to discipline Aaeru, but was stopped when the Dux stood beside her instead.

"Come with me, cadet," he instructed sternly.

The Sibylla lowered her hand and smirked at Aaeru, as if to say she knew what was coming. Aaeru only grinned back at her. She had not been reprimanded, and knew the Dux liked her. She wouldn't be in trouble.

She was led to the Dux's room. He kept a very simple office in the front. As he sat behind the large wooden desk, Aaeru stood at attention. "That was some fight, wasn't it? Did you see me? I—"

A hand silence any further comment. "You realize that you broke a handful of very serious rules today, don't you, cadet?"

"Yes, but—"

Another hand. "These offenses are serious enough to have you removed from the temple and stripped of your standing as a cadet. It also means that you would never be able to enter another temple and become a cadet there. You would be barred from ever becoming a Sibylla."

"The enemy—" began Aaeru, exasperated. Was she the only one who could see that she had helped to get rid of the enemy ships before they'd had a chance to attack the temple, and all without the blessing of Tempus Spatium?

"It's not as though your marks make you qualify for the position of Sibylla. You only excel in the flight tests, both written and driving. You've always failed or nearly failed the other exams. I'm not very sure if you would ever become a Sibylla."

By this time, Aaeru had crossed her arms, and had an expression of annoyance on her face. No one would listen to what she had to say. She was frustrated and now, she was losing any chance at ever becoming a Sibylla. She would never fly high, and she would be going to the Spring as soon as her seventeenth birthday arrived. All for doing something that had benefited the temple.

"However," Here, Aaeru's ears perked up. A "however" might mean she'd still get away with it. Perhaps the Dux did favor her after all. "I've received a request for cadets ready to transfer and become Sibyllae. One of the Chors on the Arcus Prima has lost many Sibylla, either in battle or to the Spring, and they are looking for top cadets. This Chor is considered to be the best in all of Simulacrum, and they have had trouble locating anyone to voluntarily transfer from temples in the country, as this Chor is often in contact with the enemy."

Aaeru tried to process the words. Was he saying that he was transferring her to the Arcus Prima? She didn't quite understand. "Are you saying—"

"I'm saying that if you volunteer, you will become a Sibylla and transfer into Chor Tempest. If you choose not to volunteer, I will immediately strip you of your rank as a cadet. Your performance out there today, though it broke many regulations, was an excellent example of flight and tactics. Everything else aside, you would make an excellent auriga for any sagitta. Beyond your skill as an auriga, you would be a very poor example of a Sibylla. That I will not lie about. You have until the end of today to make your decision."

A grin broke out across Aaeru's face. So she had been noticed by the Dux! His comments on her ability as a Sibylla went in one ear and out the other. She was focused on his comments about her performance, and her skill to become a great auriga. She could picture herself piloting the Simoun, guiding her pair through the sky and through the enemy ships, her pair downing them with the Ri Majons. Her pair would see her ability to fight, and be impressed. "I'll do it!" she replied eagerly.

"Cadet, this is not a decision to be made lightly! You should—"

"I don't need to wait and think about it," retorted Aaeru. "I know what I want to do. I want to transfer into Chor Tempest. You said you needed volunteers. I'm volunteering!"

"Very well then, cadet. See that you gather your belongings and we will perform the ceremony. I'll send word onto the Arcus Prima that you'll leave tomorrow morning."

The next morning, Aaeru unlocked the shed for the final time. Inside sat her grandfather's Simile, the one she had wanted to fly ever since she was a little girl. She walked toward it, gently patting the cool metal. Around her neck was a Tempus Spatium pendant, given to her at the ceremony the previous afternoon. It had been a very simple ceremony, due to the rushed nature of it all. None of the cadets or Sibyllae at the temple would speak to her after they found out what had occurred, but it didn't bother her.

She climbed into the cockpit, adjusting the goggles on her face. She didn't have a Simoun pilot uniform yet, so she wore a green pilot suit with brown leather gloves instead. She'd fashioned the tan hood and placed it over her head. Though she was leaving home for now, she had no goodbyes to be said. She had no family left, and the few friends she did have had all gone to the Spring, being slightly older than her by a few months. None of this bothered her, just as it didn't bother her that she was one of the oldest cadets to become a Sibylla. As she gently guided the Simile from the shed, she looked to the sky. It wouldn't take her long to get to the Arcus Prima. She had the directions the Dux had given her, and they were easy enough to follow. It wouldn't hurt to spend a bit of time flying, would it?

**So, a few things about this story, now that you've read through it.**

**- Deciding on Aaeru's age was the hardest. She is 16 at the time of the decree, and turns 17 sometime after that. The reason being that she is said to be a volunteer by Guragief. The nature of her being a volunteer amuses me, but I don't think anyone could be a Sibylla without being a cadet first.**  
**- Because I made her age late, and because Aaeru states she has never flown a Simoun, I had to make sure that she was never able to fly one at the temple, yet was able to practice with Simile. If the temple was small and enough Sibyllae remained, there was no need for her to fly one. Plus, she's shown to be a bad cadet in most aspects so that would also have something to do with it.**  
**- If you see any mistakes let me know. The one thing I could not remember was if the southern front received more of the enemy or not, and I did not even know how to find the answer to that one. The only reason it got written as it did so that Aaeru did not really have to deal with the attack and grief was because of the incident with Limone and the enemy soldier. If it really needs changed, I can do so. Kindly let me know and I'll make the necessary changes.**


End file.
